Museum Of Glass

Every third thirsday of the month is the Tacoma Art Walk. You can get into all the museums for free!

My friend Michelle and I rode my bike there so most of the adventure was getting there.

The first part was fairly straightforward: ride to the Fauntleroy ferry dock in Seattle, ferry to Vashon, ride down the length of Vashon, ferry to Point Defiance. Once we got to Tacoma things got more interesting. The map marked a “bike path” along the water that ended up being a bumpy sidewalk with lots of little dogs, strollers, etc. After leaving the bike path we ended up on a very freeway-like road (and almost accidentally got on 705), then a side road along railroad tracks that ended on the other side of the tracks from the museum. Oh, and there was a really long, really slow train.

Most of the exhibits were of the Chihuly colorful-floppy-thing or “I made something that is normally not made out of glass so it is an Artistic Statement” variety (like skulls, puddles…), but watching the glass blowing was interesting.

I liked this place, i went the summer of 06 w/ my mom and Scott
it was very rainy that day..
it was fun.. i thought the museum would be a little bigger, but it was still cool.

As others have noted, this museum is a bit Chihuly-centric. We found the visiting exhibits something of a mixed bag – some were quite interesting, others were a bit of a joke. The studio is interesting in a sort of “watching paint dry” sort of way – maybe I’m just not a glass kind of guy.

I got to watch as they made a vase that the audience helped design. It’s an incredible process. I’d go again just to watch them blowing the glass. And that’s without going into the galleries… which had some really interesting things including a ‘piano’. But one of the coolest things was the bridge outside between the Museum of Glass and the History Museum. It has all sorts of glass works along it, and one area where you walk under displays of blown glass art.

This museum fascinated me. Some gorgeous glasswork, and the demonstrations of glassblowing were incredible, but the fact that Dale Chihuly’s work is spotlighted so much drives me nuts. His work is vastly overrated, doesn’t merit nearly the exposure it gets here.

Stick to non-Chihuly works and you’ll be amazed by the workmanship and originality.

Be sure to spend plenty of time outdoors, there’s a lot to see on top of the museum and on the bridge over I-705

I realize Chihuly is the main attraction at the Museum of Glass in Tacoma. The following is just my humble opinion, and I realize the craft and skill that goes into his work, but I just don’t find it too moving. It’s too, well, “fruity” looking.. and I mean that definitively.

However, there’s often an exhibit at the museum that offers a glimpse at more ancient glass architecture that’s always very interesting. Two years ago, I went and caught “Glass of the Avant Garde”, which were glasses made under the guise of the Bauhaus movement. Just stunning work, table after table. This exhibit was worth the visit alone.

I’ve heard great things about the museum of glass and with my mom visiting from toronto I had a good reason to drive down to Tacoma. Make sure you check out the outdoor installations. They’re amazing!